Her Body is Slowly Dying

Genevieve Stemn of Caldwell was an active young lady, serious about her education, family, friends, social media life, and life as a whole. She seemed to have a promising future ahead of her.

having some minor stiffness in her thighs and weakness in her legs, Genevieve seemed okay.

Then one day in July 2016, the then 21 year-old ran home complaining seriously that she had eaten ‘acheke’ that had too much pepper. It was then that her life began to slowly wither away.

“She said she had only eaten one spoon and complained about severe stomach pain. I rushed her to the hospital and was told that she had eaten contaminated food and had food poisoning,” stated her mother Doris Sawie.

After receiving medications and told to go home, Genevieve’s mother was happy that her daughter was no longer in pain and that she would be okay.

And then it happened again.

“My daughter came home one day crying bitterly, not long after we treated her for the food poisoning, that her stomach was hurting again and she began vomiting. I rushed her to a clinic in Caldwell, after the bridge. Doctor Bah did an ultrasound on her stomach and found out that her appendix was the cause of the severe pain,” stated Doris.

According to the family, who provided three photos to substantiate their claims, Genevieve went through the operation to get her appendix removed.

“They did it without anesthesia. I was wide awake and could feel the pain as it was being pulled out of me,” stated Genevieve between gasps for air during a recent interview at her home.

Her mother said that on July 24, 2016, Genevieve was discharged from the hospital, and a few days later the operation mark had healed.

But then something started happening and the family was again taken aback.

“Not long after the operation, whenever Genevieve sat in a chair, she could not get back up on her own. Then her neck became weak, which sometimes caused her head to drop forward until one of us would have to push it back
up,” Doris stated.

According to the family, Genevieve began experiencing swellings in her face, arms, legs and feet and she has been gradually losing pigment for the past six months. Since then, Genevieve has been rushed to SOS, Hope for Women
International and finally to Tapitta Hospital, where Dr. Sherman was able to give them a prognosis of Genevieve’s condition.

“Before we could see Dr. Sherman, SOS told us that my daughter was suffering from arthritis and ordered some pain medicine for the meantime. But it was not working. So when we met Dr. Sherman, he ran some x-ray’s and asked
if Genevieve had had any prior injuries to her head or body before,” Doris recounted.

According to the sad mother who has done nothing but run up and down for her sick child, Genevieve had a motorcycle accident six years ago on her way home from school.

“While on the bike, a car pulled over and opened its passenger door as Genevieve approached. She flew over the door and landed on the ground. I carried her to the hospital, and we went home,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sherman confirmed from Genevieve’s x-ray that the cause of swelling and losing control over her muscles in her neck and other parts of her body was due to ‘fluid’ on her brain.

“He said if we are not careful she will become paralyzed. He also told us that when she had the accident, her head must have hit something and we never took notice and this was the result. The fluid is between her skull and the skin, and is pressing down on the brain and suppressing and making her muscles wither down,” added Doris.

Genevieve’s family does not want to see their once happy and friendly daughter dying and has asked for financial help to get her to Ghana so that she can have the operation that could save her life.

Doris said that the trip and medical expenses will cost somewhere between US$7,000-8,000. The doctor has told them that Genevieve’s spinal cord has a problem and could be restored in one of the few countries that have the equipment to perform such procedures.

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